Mayor Williams’ agenda sees Youngstown moving forward

If keeping your head above water is a sign of success in weathering the current national economic storm, then the city of Youngstown had a very successful 2008 — and can approach 2009 with a sense of optimism.

Indeed, Mayor Jay Williams offered a positive outlook for Youngstown in his State of the City address Saturday during his annual community celebration at Stambaugh Auditorium.

“We’re going to again face some very tough economic challenges, but I believe that, if we work together as a city hall, labor and management, we can get through 2009, hopefully with no deficit and no layoffs,” said Williams, who will be seeking a second four-year term this year.

Ending 2008 with a $500,000 operating budget surplus was no small feat. Governments at all levels have been roiled by the nation’s collapsing economy and are looking to Washington to turn things around.

Having a budget that is in the black, a homicide rate that was 28 percent lower last year than the year before, and more than $2 million in federal money for neighborhood stabilization programs are justification for Mayor Williams’ positive outlook.

But his warnings of “no guarantees” when it comes to employee layoffs — there were none in 2008 — are a cautionary note that all city employees must take seriously.

While the nation is now looking to the new president, Barack Obama — the Democrat will be sworn in Jan. 20 — and the Democrat-controlled Congress to revive the national economy, the city of Youngstown has the luxury of pursuing an agenda this year that is proactive instead of reactive. The budget will continue to be stable so long as public employees understand that having a job today calls for gratitude, not greed. With at least 80 percent of the operating budget dedicated to personnel costs, labor and management must disabuse themselves of pay raises.

Private sector reality

Taxpayers in the city, especially those in the private sector, have had to tighten their belts. They will not take kindly to public sector employees getting any increases in the foreseeable future.

Indeed, any extra money in the budget should be dedicated to fighting crime, which continues to be an issue in the city’s job-creation effort — even with the drop in the homicide rate.

The $2.7 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization money, thousands in Clean Ohio funds and also about $4.9 million in Job Ready Sites Program funds, will go a long toward establishing a solid foundation upon which the city can continue to build its economy.

Then there is the project Youngstown and the city Girard are pursuing jointly that would provide a major boost not only to both communities but to the entire Mahoning Valley if things work out. V&M Star Steel Co., located in Brier Hill, has announced plans to build another manufacturing facility, along with an office building. Total project cost could approach $1 billion. The two cities, along with the state of Ohio, are aggressively courting V&M with land and other significant economic incentives. This area is in competition with others around the nation and the world, but the Valley has one thing going for it that the others don’t: An experienced, knowledgeable workforce that has made V&M’s Youngstown plant a successful manufacturing facility.

All that said, the administration of Mayor Williams is well aware of the need to deal with current economic realities as it formulates its 2009 budget. In approving a $25 million first-quarter spending plan, members of city council were told that top expenses in terms of yearly budgets include personnel, sanitation costs, street lighting and the justice system.

A reduction in those expenses will go a long way in reassuring taxpayers that city government employees are willing to do more with less.